The top rail should be able to withstand 200 pounds of downward and outward force placed upon it. Additionally, extreme weather conditions may rule out the use of an otherwise safe scaffold. Scaffolds can be built on catwalks, on the space shuttle and anything else that someone may have to work on. • Providing direction to those employees who may be assisting them in the erecting or dismantling of a scaffold. An “adequate foundation” is what OSHA says that every scaffold must have. This is actually not correct. The term “little known,” is subjective at best. © 2020 Masonry Magazine masonrymagazine.com All rights reserved. “Scaffolding” is a broad term that covers many different types of platforms and systems. They’re one of these most common features on construction sites and in industrial settings — and one of the most inherently dangerous. OSHA 10-Hour Construction Course: Module 5 – Scaffolds Page 1 of 22OSHA MODULE 5 – ScaffoldsLearning ObjectivesUpon completion of the lesson, participants will be able to: • Name the three types of scaffolds and describe their main characteristics • List at least three of the four main hazards to which persons working on a scaffold … 1926.451(c)(2) Scaffolds must be exactly plum and exactly level for it to be considered safe. “It’s close enough.” There’s no such thing as close enough when it comes to getting the scaffold level. Another interesting tidbit about platform construction is that one scaffold board is not permissible to work from. That isn’t the case. At the beginning of each shift, a competent person inspects the scaffold and attaches one of three tags. As an example, a yellow tag may mean that the workers need to be aware of a specific trip hazard, or may need to use fall protection. A yellow tag sends the message that the workers can use the scaffold only under certain conditions. HomeArticlesAdvertiseSubscribeVideosContactTerms of ServicePrivacy Policy, Mason Contractors Association of America1481 Merchant DriveAlgonquin, IL 60102, Phone: 800-536-2225 | 224-678-9709Fax: 224-678-9714. The competent person will confirm, based on the evaluation, that the supporting surfaces are capable of supporting the loads that will be imposed. scaffolding or scaffolds must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, all workplace activity relating to the plant or structure including its decommissioning or dismantling is without risks to health or safety. A red tag makes it clear that nobody can occupy the scaffold because it’s not ready for use, or because there’s a problem with it (or the environment). Every scaffold must be absolutely level. Another thing that most people that are reading this are aware of is that the ladder must reach at least 3 feet above the scaffold platform. This includes ladders, such as extension ladders or step ladders. Here’s one that you may not know; if a board is 10-foot-long or less you cannot have more than 12 inches of the end of the board over it support. If the elevation difference between a scaffold and an adjacent surface is greater than 24 inches, a ladder or a step must be used. (1926.451(c)(2)) Adequate Foundation. Pole or Wood Pole. Concrete is the lone exception to this rule, which, because of its structural properties and strength, … This requirement is frequently neglected on movable scaffolding. timber scaffolds must be rattan or such other material as approved in writing by the chief inspector. For scaffolds that fall outside the scope of a generally recognised standard configuration the design must be such that safe erection and dismantling techniques can also be employed throughout the duration of the works. One reason is that OSHA demands it. Poles must be secured to . You must check with the manufacturer of the screw jack that you are specifically using. Construction sites are places of constant change. Foundations. Particularly brave –and trained – employees may use stilts on a large, supported scaffold, provided the guardrail height is adjusted to compensate. Inspect and inspect again Any bracing must be properly secured to ensure that it will not become loose once under stress. Safety Advisor, Design and Construction. Depending on the specific condition of the surface, that may include the use of mud sills or base plates. Above all: respect scaffolding Protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent an estimated 4,500 injuries and 50 fatalities each year. For example, the competent person has to decide whether the workers who are assembling or dismantling the scaffold will need fall protection while performing those tasks. But the more important reason is to ensure their safety. 1926.451(g)(1) • Guardrail height—The height of the toprail for scaffolds manufactured and placed in service after January 1, 2000 must be between 38 inches (0.9 meters) and 45 inches (1.2 meters). In addition, scaffolding hazards vary with the nature of the tasks being performed and the operating environment. Generally, the adequacy of a foundation to support a scaffold cannot be determined in the abstract because of the numerous factors which may exist at a work site. Overhead equipment poses a hazard for head injuries. Any scaffold that requires someone to step up more than 24 inches should have a ladder utilized to access the scaffold. B.13 Scaffolds (other than suspended scaffolds) shall bear on base plates upon mudsills or other adequate firm foundation. 22.B.12 Scaffolds shall be plumb and level unless engineered and designed to contour as the structure does. If the scaffold needs to be tied into the structure, proper procedures must be followed. Supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills (or other adequate firm foundation). Scaffolds must always be set on a firm foundation, so if the surface below the legs doesn’t offer sufficient strength to withstand the weight and stress, steps must be taken to compensate. Unstable objects, such as bricks, cinder blocks, buckets, scrap lumber, etc., shall not be used to support or level scaffolds. https://quizlet.com/168676654/cfm-345-test-2-part-3-flash-cards Under construction, damaged) . • Ensuring that a tag is placed on scaffold indicating its current condition (i.e. A qualified person has the right background such as education, degree, certification or professional standing that shows they are an expert in designing safe scaffolding. An adequate foundation is one that, like base plates on mud sills, will prevent the scaffold from settling into the ground. One thing that I often see and I’m sure not as many people know as there should be, is that there is only supposed to be 1 inch or less gap between scaffold boards. Ladders used to support ladder jack scaffolds must be placed to prevent slipping fastened to prevent slipping and or equipped with devices to prevent slipping. Scaffolding. Depending on the specific condition of the surface, that may include the use of mud sills or base plates. That is why hazard analysis needs to be an ongoing process. Another not so commonly-known allowance is that a cross brace can be used for a mid-rail if the crossing point of the brace is between 20 and 30 inches above the platform and the ends of the cross brace are no more than 48 inches apart. always bear on base plates and mud sills or other adequate firm foundations. Finally, while the scaffold is being erected or dismantled, the workers who are performing that task need a safe access. Scaffolds have been used for tissue engineering such as bone, cartilage, ligament, skin, vascular tissues, neural tissues, and skeletal muscle and as vehicle for the controlled delivery of drugs, proteins, and DNA. Icicles that form on portions of the structure above the scaffold may thaw and suddenly drop on workers. Every other foundation must have a base plate or screw jack and mud sill. D. Suspension Scaffolds • Before a scaffold is used, the competent person shall evaluate all direct connections. Another item that should be noted is that you never increase the scaffold height by adding boxes, barrels, concrete block, brick etc… to the platform. Cross braces will not go on as easily or at all, and if the scaffold is leaning out of plum and a load is set on top the chances of it overturning are dramatically higher. Ask us about our NEW state-of-the art mobile training. In OSHA’s eyes, if you fail to document that you performed the inspection and placed the tag, that never took place. Workers take them for granted, failing to give them a second thought. Unless the manufacturer specifically indicates that the components are compatible and can work together, don’t mix them. When the scaffold is at a greater height, it will be leaning out of plum at a much greater degree. The size of the mud sill shall be based on the type of soil the scaffold will be erected upon.The base and mud sill must provide a solid surface for the feet to sit upon so that the scaffold doesn't sink, move, settle, or shift. Regulation 20(4): Every lift of a scaffold must be crossed by at least one longitudinal bracing member in every 10-metre length of the scaffold. The first rung or bottom rung of the ladder must be a maximum of 24 inches from the ground or walking working surfaces. Supported scaffold poles must bear on firm … Supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills or other adequate firm foundation. (3) Where a scaffold is to be founded on soil, the soil shall be adequately consolidated. An additional fact that all of our readers should know is that the out-rigger scaffold is supposed to be a maximum of 3 inches away from the wall. Supported scaffolds' poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights must bear on base plates and mud sills, or other adequate firm foundation. (b) Scaffolds shall be constructed of wood or other suitable materials such as steel or aluminum members of known strength characteristics. Re … “All I do is stand on the scaffold,” they’ll say. Employers must provide proper training, which must encompass subjects such as fall hazards, falling object hazards, electrical hazards and handing of materials before putting people to work on supported scaffolds. If the structure of the scaffold or its surrounding area have been altered, or if weather conditions change, it should be re-inspected. Note that the list includes workers who “use” scaffolding. A scaffold that was safe a month ago may have become unsafe because of something that was constructed nearby, or because of a task that is now being performed in an adjacent area. Check the hazards at the beginning of every shift Even the most carefully engineered and assembled scaffold will be unsafe if it doesn’t have a firm foundation. Scaffolds must be inspected at least once a day by a competent person. 1926.451(c)(2)(i) and (ii) Restraining. Failure to do so makes the scaffold less stable and, while it may not topple, it may sway or move enough to knock someone off the platform. Work Practices Safe work practice training by a Competent Person must be given to workers who erect, dismantle, move, operate, repair, maintain, inspect, and use scaffolding. That’s why the companies that design and build them invest so heavily in engineering – and why it’s so important to ensure that the people entrusted to oversee them on jobsites receive adequate training. OSHA does allow a ladder to be used on top of the scaffold if many stipulations are met, but this is not a suggested practice. That includes workers who perform their tasks on or from the scaffold, as well as those who use scaffolding as a means to get to their own worksites. There are many different foundations out there; there could be dirt, rock, mud, water, asphalt, grass, a roof, a metal top to a tank or concrete. Support devices must support 4 x imposed load Here at SoCal Removal we have implement a stringent policy to ensure that employees are not exposed to hazards while working on or with scaffolding or elevated work platforms. • Providing adequate foundations, proper access, bracing, handrails and toeboards , and adequate decking materials. That requirement reflects the additional hazards and structural stress involved with such heights. “Why do I need to be trained for that?”. Going beyond that limit – even for a task that takes just a few minutes – is inviting trouble. An estimated 2.3 million construction workers, or 65 percent of the construction industry, work on scaffolds frequently. 22. The most common way to inform workers about the safety of a scaffold is to use color-coded tags. In the introductory text to §1926.451(c)(2), the revised standard requires base plates (and mud sills or other adequate firm foundation) at all times now for support scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights. Designed and built by, Our core values, mission, and commitments, IOSHA Revises Residential Fall Protection Program, Grain-handling Presents a Variety of Safety Hazards, Improving Contractor Interactions Through the SCARF Model, Components You Need for an Effective ILSM Program, Understanding Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. Each scaffolding system is engineered differently. For example, the scaffold legs cannot be placed on a mud foundation without a base to prevent the legs from sinking into the mud." Have You Fallen for These Common Safety Myths? Hook-on or attachable ladders must be designed specifically for the scaffold and positioned so that they do not cause it to tip. They should be taught to look around to identify adjacent hazards, such as moving equipment, electrical wires, or hot pipes. That can lead to anything from a slightly unstable work surface to an actual collapse. Under safety regulations, a competent person is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all aspects of scaffolding. as a midrail, it must be between 20 inches (0.5 meters) and 30 inches (0.8 m) above the work platform. About 2.3 million construction workers frequently work on scaffolds. Use and document a tagging system Any scaffold that is more than 125 feet in height above the base must be designed by a registered professional engineer. That’s why proper training is critically important for every worker who erects, inspects, maintains, or uses scaffolding on a worksite. In other words—they know all there is to know about scaffolds! Create a firm foundation Prot\cting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths every year, at a saving for Ame對rican employers of $90 million dollars in workdays not lost. Workers who are accustomed to scrambling up the side braces during assembly are often surprised by (and resistant to) that requirement. Safety Management Group offers a full complement of state-of-the-art services delivered through a wide variety of channels addressing industry specific issues. Cross braces must not be used as a means of access. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed. Learn More, By Jordan Hollingsworth, MS, ASP, CHST, CHSP, CRIS® Even if the scaffold is only out of level by a very small amount, it is not considered safe. (2) You must make sure supported scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames, and uprights, bear on base plates that rest on: (a) Mudsills; or (b) Other firm foundations such as concrete or dry, compacted soil. • Scaffold poles, legs, posts, frames and uprights must bear on base plates or other adequate firm foundations. We tend to think of scaffolds as simple structures, but they actually depend upon complex engineering and the balancing of different forces. They need to be made aware of correct use of the scaffold and how to handle materials and tools when working on it. There may be exceptions if there was absolutely no other way to errect the scaffold, but you must be able to prove that. Some workers will react to that concept with surprise, or even contempt. Safety issues surrounding scaffolds tend to be the result of a lack of awareness of the hazards they present, along with a lack of familiarity with the procedures that will minimize risk. Scaffolds shall bear on adequate firm foundations such as: a. boxes, barrels b. bricks @base plates set on mudsills d. loose materials piled high enough to achieve level 20. 22.B.14 Working levels of work platforms shall be fully planked or decked. structure. Supports must bear on base-plates, mudsills, soleplates, or other adequate firm foundation as well as be level and plumb. Simply tying the scaffold in place with wire may be an accepted practice among workers, but it violates OSHA regulations. It is suggested many times that a screw jack can only be raised 12 inches. The legs, poles, frames, and uprights shall bear on base plates and mud sills. A couple of points about scaffold access. Guardrail system. By respecting that complexity and ensuring that all employees involved with their erection and use are properly supervised, supervisors will be able to reduce the number of injuries and equipment damage caused by scaffold-related incidents. Competent Persons can have other duties, such as working on the scaffold or other supervisory duties and verification of fall arrest anchor points. such as tie-ins, as the assembly progresses. 22.B.12 Scaffolds shall be plumb and level unless engineered and designed to contour as the structure does. This is for several reasons, but one main reason is so that small items like wrenches, wall ties, jointers, etc. 22.B.15 Planking. Supported scaffolds with a height to base width ratio of more than 4:1 must be restrained by guying, tying, bracing, or an equivalent means. Each manufacturer designs his screw jack differently, and some design them so that they can be raised higher than 12 inches. For starters, any scaffold should have a base of some sort. Scaffolds seem to be fairly simple structures, and it’s not unusual for workers to start slapping them together without any extra thought, assuming that all systems and applications are exactly the same. Platform construction. Scaffolds must always be set on a firm foundation, so if the surface below the legs doesn’t offer sufficient strength to withstand the weight and stress, steps must be taken to compensate. However, most of the concepts and counsel incorporated here also applies to other types. Regardless of the tissue type, a number of key considerations are important when designing or determining the suitability of a scaffold for use in tissue engineering: (i)BiocompatibilityThe very first criterion of any scaffold for tissue engineering is that it must be biocompatible; cells must adhere, funct… Supported scaffolds are required to be plumb and braced. They are the platforms and climbing devices we describe as scaffolding. Interchanging components from other systems or manufacturers may look safe, but it also may compromise the scaffold’s structural integrity. It isn’t that scaffolds are any more or less inherently dangerous than other aspects of worksites. 22.B.15 Planking. Because the most common on construction sites and in manufacturing applications is the fabricated modular frame type that can be assembled into a variety of configurations for different heights and tasks, this article will focus on that type. As many as 50 workers actually die. • Fabricated frame scaffolds, tube, and coupler scaffolds over 125 feet high shall be Another thing that should always be maintained is the proper height of the top rail. B.13 Scaffolds (other than suspended scaffolds) shall bear on base plates upon mudsills or other adequate firm foundation. With many projects, outdoor features such as sidewalks, driveways, and parking areas are often the last items to be constructed, because the architects and construction managers want to limit potential damage. plus 4 times the applied or transmitted load on the scaffold without failure. All footings must be level, sound, rigid, and capable of supporting the scaffold without settling. To ensure stability for more complex scaffolds, drawings should be produced and, where necessary, these may need to be supplemented with specific instructions. Knowing both the potential hazards and the steps that can be taken to minimize those hazards will eliminate much of the potential for problems and injuries. A Competent Person shall be available on site at any time scaffolding is in use in the event conditions change or the scaffolding is moved or modified. Copyright ©2020 Safety Management Group. A green tag signifies that the scaffold has been inspected and is safe for use. Access to and from the scaffold can create its own set of hazards, because the potential for slips and falls increases as workers ascend or descend from the scaffold. However, pouring sidewalks, slabs, and other elements early in the project means that you’ll have solid, level surfaces for scaffolds. (2) Every scaffold shall be constructed, erected or installed on structures or foundations of adequate strength. a. Mudsills are also required unless on an adequate firm foundation (such as a concrete floor). scaffold shall be protected by both a personal fall arrest system and a guardrail. Training: the critical first step Any minor damage to those surfaces that is caused by the scaffolds is easy to repair, and the cost of those repairs is usually clearly offset by the time and trouble saved when erecting scaffolds — not to mention the substantially lower risk of injury resulting from a collapse. Ladder jacks must be designed and constructed to bear on the side rails and ladder rungs. Prior to assembly, a qualified person must design the scaffold and set the specifications for using it. Some are designed to be raised 18 inches and many have a notch or a weld towards the top of the jack which is its maximum raising height and prohibits you from screwing the Jack any higher past that notch. OSHA gives a little leeway in the top rail; it can be between 38 and 45 inches in height. In this Guide the scaffolding contractor is the person responsible for installing, constructing and commissioning scaffolds. The standard recognizes that certain foundations may be of adequate firmness to support a scaffold without the use of mud sills. Officers. The inspection should include the work platform itself, as well as the integrity of the entire structure. First rung or bottom rung of the tasks being performed: 224-678-9714 boards. Thaw and suddenly drop on workers properly, fall hazards can occur little attention is paid to their to... Enhance the safety of a scaffold is used, the competent person is responsible for and. 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